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®RANGE COUNTY <br />HIL.LSBOROIIGH <br />NORTH CAROLINA <br />f~Cb°~~~ ~~ MEMORANDUM ~rtaG/ lr.~>7~S2 <br />TO: -aura E. Blackmon, County Manager <br />FROA~. ~ Rod Visser, Project Manager <br />DATE: April 18, 2008 <br />RE: Update on Land Transfer Tax Voter Information Initiative <br />County Attonley Geof Gledhill and I have been working very closely during the past several weeks <br />with Ballen Media representatives on the land transfer tax voter information effort. It has been our <br />goal to ensure that the materials produced are factual, fair, and balanced, and will meet the <br />"reasonable person" test in being viewed as informational, and not promotional. <br />I have briefly summarized below progress in various areas that County staff have undertaken in <br />collaboration with Ballen Media and the Local Revenue Options Education Advisory Committee: <br />Website - The dedicated website related to the land transfer tax referendum is up and <br />running at www:yourchoice-oc.com. The website features some basic Frequently Asked <br />Questions (and answers!) ~~bout the,str~ietue and workings of the land transfer tax. There <br />are also linlcs`~to,various other websites or opinion piecestliat havebeen published. These <br />will provide interested voters with the opporttliity o dig a little deeper for arguments from <br />differing perspectives that can help thctil make a morc in['orn2ed choice when they vote - <br />whether for ot: against o11 May 6. <br />Advertising - The television ad - designed to promote curiosity ainoi2g viewers that may <br />lead them to seek morc information through "yoiirclioice-oe.eoz~i"or-by calling the County <br />~.. <br />g ill begin airingncxt week°in various time slots <br />Mana er s Office --has been finalized. It w <br />during both over-the-air and cable programming chosen by Ballen Media. Print and <br />newspaper ads will also begin next week. <br />Direct Mail - A direct mail piece -emphasizing Orange County voters' oppori-unity to <br />choose on the land transfer tax and directing them towards the website and the Manager's <br />Office for more information -has been finalized and is at the printers' this weekend. It will <br />be sent next week via bulk mail to all registered Orange County voters (with reasonable <br />efforts to minimize duplicate mailings to multiple voters in one household) with a targeted <br />delivery date of no later than Apri128. <br />• Public Forums -The League of Women Voters has agreed to sponsor two public fonims on <br />the land transfer tax referendum. These will be held at 7:OOpm on Wednesday, April 23 at <br />Chapel Hill Town Hall and at 7:OOpm on Wednesday, April 30 at the Battle Courtroom in <br />Hillsborough. The format for both forums will be similar to the one used two years ago for <br />the public information effort related to the commissioner district elections referendum. Staff <br />will do a brief presentation of the basic facts on the land transfer tax, then advocates on both <br />AREA CODE (919) 732-8181 • 968-4501 • 688-7331 • 227-2031 • FAX (919) 644-3004 <br />Ext. 2300 <br />